Routine for normal/combination skin
I am not the type to go to the dermatologist or skin care centers for facials or procedures, except for once in college when I suffered a bout of stress-induced acne. I'm lucky my skin is usually clear, but I do have an oily T-zone and the skin on my nose isn't as smooth as I'd want it to be. I may try a facial someday, but there's something about tools coming at my face that I don't like (unless they are makeup brushes).
So, here's my weekly skin care routine. I recommend this to people in their 20's with normal or combination skin who are not acne-prone.
Every morning:
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| Cleanse: Shiseido Face Cake or Clarins Cleansing Milk |
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Moisturize: Celeteque Oil-free Moisturizer or
Phytomer Oligopur Balance Emulsion |
The Shiseido Face Cake was given to me by a friend who has an aunt in Japan. I use this when my skin is feeling a little oily when I wake up. If my skin is feeling a bit dry, I use the Clarins Cleansing Milk. To use the cleansing milk, apply on skin with clean hands, massage gently, then rinse off with cool water. This cleansing milk makes skin feel really soft. It doesn't do much for makeup removal so I don't use it at night, but it's a great gentle cleanser.
Every night:
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| Cleanse, tone and moisturize |
Cleanse: Pond's Perfect Care facial wash. One of the best affordable cleansers I've used. It cleanses deeply without drying skin, although you do need to follow it up with toner and moisturizer.
Tone: Nivea Visage Deep Pore Control Toner. Gentle and doesn't sting like some toners do. Some people ask if this step is still necessary. I say yes, especially if you wear makeup or have had a long day or been exposed to pollution. Wipe over your face with a cotton ball and you'll see there may still be some dirt left over, even after cleansing. When using toner, don't forget your hairline, especially if you use hair products.
Moisturize: They say skin starts aging at 25, so I use Olay Total Effects Anti-aging Night Cream. If skin is feeling particularly dry, though, I'll use Johnson's Moisturizing Day Cream, which I find too heavy for the daytime humidity we have here. I think this product would be better during the day if you lived somewhere quite dry.
Twice a week:
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| Mild exfolation |
St. Ives Naturally Clear Apricot Cleanser or Dermalogica Daily Microfoliant are great for gentle exfoliation. I received the Dermalogica product as a gift. It's a rice-based powder that you apply as a paste using wet hands. Both products work well, and both contain salicylic acid, but I guess I do feel more luxurious using Dermalogica over drug-store St. Ives :-) After exfoliating, I usually skip toner then use either the Johnson's or Olay moisturizer.
Once or twice a week:
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| Deeper exfoliation and anti-aging |
I got the Biore Skin Preservation Even Smoother Microderm Exfoliator as a freebie from a fashion magazine. It's this wonder product that buffs your skin until it's baby-smooth. But the instructions say not to use it more than thrice a week because it can irritate skin if used too often. Be very gentle when massaging this product on your face, especially around the eye and lip areas.
I follow this with Estee Lauder Advanced Night Repair. I only do this once a week for now because I think this product is designed for people who are in their 30's or 40's - and it is pricey! I only have the tiny tester bottle that came with an Estee Lauder gift with purchase, but it's lasted me because I only use two to three drops on my face. It feels really light on and you wake up with really soft and supple skin.
Every two weeks or so I'll also do a face mask at home and leave it on for 20-30 minutes, but I don't have a product that I use on a regular basis.
